Heading into 2014, some expected Ohio’s governor, John Kasich, to face a tough reelection bid in the crucial swing state, but a new poll shows the Republican with a sizeable lead over his Democratic opponent.

A new Quinnipiac survey shows Kasich leading Cuyahoga County executive Ed FitzGerald by twelve percentage points. Forty eight percent of respondents said they would back Kasich, compared with 36 percent for FitzGerald.

Kasich also enjoys strong support among independents, with 47 percent support to FitzGerald’s 28 percent. He leads among both men and women voters, too.

Kasich, who served in the House from 1983 to 2001, was elected to the Ohio governorship in 2010 as part of the GOP wave. Previous polls have shown the race to be closer, but have almost exclusively shown Kasich with the edge.